The Congressional Budget Office has issued a study, prepared at the request of the Senate Budget Committee, which examines broad alternatives for federal funding of highways, focusing on fuel taxes and on other taxes that could be assessed on the basis of the number of miles that vehicles travel.
On February 8, 2011, Representative McCotter (R) introduced the Freedom Trade Act (H.R. 554), a bill to withdraw normal trade relations treatment from the products of foreign countries that do not maintain acceptable standards of religious freedom and worker rights.
On March 24, 2011, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Baucus (D) called the Chilean government’s decision to open its markets to all ages and all cuts of U.S. beef a significant victory for U.S. ranchers and for the American economy. Baucus, who pressed Chile to lift its unscientific restriction, said that Chile’s announcement is further indication that the U.S. should insist that its trading partners meet international scientific standards and lift all restrictions on U.S. beef.
The Transportation Security Administration testified at a March 15, 2011 House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the TSA’s fiscal year 2012 budget request. In his written statement, TSA Administrator Pistole noted that in light of current economic times, TSA identified and absorbed over $152 million in efficiencies and service reductions, redirecting resources toward frontline security operations.
On March 22, 2011, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Baucus (D), Ranking Member Hatch (R) and senior Committee member Grassley (R) called on China to reduce trade barriers to U.S. agricultural products following the release of a report by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). The report, requested by Baucus and Grassley, details the Chinese government measures that limit U.S. agricultural exports to China. The Finance Committee Senators said this report indicates a greater need for China to remove its harmful and unjustified barriers to U.S. agricultural products.
On February 17, 2011, Representative Michaud (D) introduced H.R. 763, the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act of 2011.
On March 15, 2011, Representative Thompson, Ranking Member of the House Homeland Security Committee, introduced H.R. 1105, the “Transitioning with an Improved Credential (TWIC) Program Act.”
On March 16, 2011, the House Ways and Means Committee ordered reported without amendment H.R. 1034, in order to “provide a clean extension of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund authority and of the associated excise taxes at their current rates, through September 30, 2014”.
The House Ways and Means Committee’s Trade Subcommittee has announced that it will hold the second in its series of hearings on the pending free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea. The focus of the second hearing, scheduled for March 30, 2011, is on Congressional consideration of the pending FTA with Panama.
On March 17, 2011, six Democratic Representatives, including the Chairman of the House Trade Working Group (which describes itself as against “unfair trade deals”), sent President Obama a letter and memo listing nine benchmarks that the lawmakers see as necessary for Colombia to meet before the U.S. considers ratifying its free trade agreement.